[A. G. Maisey]

David, the hilt you have shown is absolutely typical of North Coast Jawa through into East Jawa, I've got some of these myself.

To me, the carving of Wijaya's hilt, although very good, displays a hodgepodge of styles:-

there is the demon face, not problem to fit this into Nth. Coast & East Jawa, then we have the lung-lungan (vine-like) enhancements, we can see similar --- not the same, but similar --- in Central Jawa hilts, the fluting is from way out the ballpark, don't have any idea at all where it might have come from. Sri Lanka rings a bell, & yeah, go back far enough there are records of keris in Sri Langka, and South India too for that matter.

The selut looks as if the carver had it in his hand when he was carving the hilt, it does not look like a later addition, it looks like it has been there from day one.

The whole thing is confusing.

There is always the possibility that we are looking at something that was made to the directions of owner, not following an established pattern, but incorporating acceptable elements. Might well be a one off.

But when was it made? I sure cannot tell from a photo on a computer screen. Maybe I could not tell at all.

I was flimflamed once --- around 35 years ago --- by a very well known dealer in Surabaya, superb Bali ivory hilt, it took me more than 20 years before I learnt that this dealer employed a craftsman who was able to produce superb work, & the dealer himself had mastered ivory patination & aging. If anybody at all looked at it right now there is no way that it could be picked as a forgery. Its that good.

Thus:- I often doubt --- especially where money is involved.